10,000 police personnel to be deployed across Kolkata to manage crowds from Chaturthi

Kolkata Police will roll out its full-scale Durga Puja deployment from Chaturthi, October 14, with around 10,000 personnel expected to man city roads round-the-clock during the festival.

The deployment will include personnel from police stations and various units of Kolkata Police, along with traffic police.

The figure of around 10,000 will exclude forces kept on standby at control rooms and reserve forces, said an officer at Lalbazar.

“We will begin our full deployment from Chaturthi,” the officer said on Sunday.

Traffic management will be a major component of the arrangements, with lakhs of people expected to take to the streets to visit pandals. Calcutta attracts visitors from across the country and abroad during Durga Puja, making the smooth movement of pedestrians and vehicles a key challenge for the police.

Officers will focus on preventing congestion, managing crowds at major intersections and ensuring that visitors
can move between pandals without unnecessary inconvenience.

Crime prevention and the maintenance of law and order will also remain priorities.

CCTV cameras, drone surveillance, police pickets, watchtowers and quick response teams will be among the key components of this year’s security arrangements.

The formal force deployment and briefing of the police personnel is yet to be done, an officer said.

Major pandals will have dedicated security arrangements and additional personnel, depending on crowd size and local requirements. Civic volunteers and NCC cadets will assist the police in managing crowds and facilitating movement, sources said.

Although the citywide deployment will begin on Chaturthi, police personnel have already been posted at several prominent pandals inaugurated ahead of the festival. Two major pandals
were inaugurated by chief minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday.

Heavy crowds were also witnessed on the last Sunday before Puja as shoppers stepped out for last-minute purchases and pandal-hoppers began visiting the city’s prominent attractions.